The National Housing Trust Fund

October 5, 2007

Why is a National Housing Trust Fund So Important to NAMI?

Data released earlier this year by the Consortium for Citizens With Disabilities (CCD) Housing Task Force and the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) demonstrates that people with mental illness and other disabilities living on SSI are completely “priced out” of the rental housing market. On average, people living on SSI are at 18.2% of area median income and must pay (on average) more than 113% of their monthly income to rent a modest 1-bedroom apartment. Additional information about the 2006 CCD-TAC “Priced Out” survey is available by clicking here .

An affordable Housing Trust Fund – as envisioned in HR 2895 – will place the federal government back in the business of developing affordable rental housing to individuals and families with extremely low-incomes such as those living on SSI. It is therefore critical tosupportpassage of HR 2895.

NAMI is currently working with our colleagues in the Low-Income Housing Coalition to buildsupportfor HR 2895. Click hereto find out more about the Low Income Housing Coalition's efforts.